Lot: 303

93rd Tribal Art Auction

Mask "mbuya tundu"

D. R. Congo, Pende / Wongo

Provenance Size Starting price / estimated price
Taylor Dale, Santa Fé, New Mexico H: 11 inch This object is not available anymore.

wood, pigments,
The "mbuya" masks appear at festivities to entertain the village community. They embody different characters and role models of the Pende society.

The black painted "tundu" (or "kindombolo") mask belongs to the group of comedic masks and embodies the "male clown". "Tundu" parodies all the vices and problems of village life.


Pende, Collection J. M. Desaive et Ch. Laeremans, Brussels 2009, p. 45